Williams Attacks HYRC 'Machine'

"machine control" and Harvard Young heated battle HYRC Monday night.

John R. Williams '63 has accused his opponent, Peter J. Wallison '63 of being the candidate of a powerful cabal in the HYRC, dominated by president Tom A. Alberg '62, his predecessor Hugh W. Barber, Jr. '60, and Bruce K. Chapman '62, publisher of the liberal Republican magazine Advance.

"Ever since the club was formed in the late '40's small groups have passed down the reigns of leadership," Williams said. He claimed that the "ABC machine" had earmarked Richard B. Olson '63 and John Bayley '65--the brother of a former HYRC president--as the heirs apparent to the HYRC throne in the next two years.

Ridiculing the cries of "Machine," Wallison countered that all of Williams' accusations were based on assigning the label "machine" to what essentially amounted to a group of "interested persons." And, as one of Wallison's supporters added, "The people who to the most work tend to coalesce."

But this "coalescing," Williams asserted, has been so extreme that "the machine only gives appointments and work to their own people." He cited the appointment of the HYRC freshman Yard Council as typical of their use of patronage.

One freshman explained how he was chosen: "I signed up at registration and Dick Olsen came up to my room to see me. Then they threw a party in Pete Wallison's room one night. They had already set up various units and a list of prospective members to contact; later they just told me that I was on the Yard Council."

Olson himself conceded the arbitrariness of the decision, but defended it on the grounds that the membership drive had to be organized as rapidly as possible.

Currently operations director of the club, Wallison has emphasized his "three years of activity within the HYRC" in his campaign; he has sharply attacked Williams' inactivity in the club. "Since I broke with the machine," Williams bemoaned, "I have got no appointments from them. My supporters and I were even removed from the delegation to the Massachusetts Young Republican Council."

Wallison explained that his opponent had resigned from the council last year as a protest against HYRC's failure to elect Howard J. Phillips '62 to the delegation. "That's not true," Williams protested. "I tried to resign but no one would accept my resignation."

Attacks on the "machine" are not a new phenomenon in HYRC politicking. Last year Phillips blasted the "ABC machine" as "ruthless, vicious, and unethical."

Both Wallison and Williams stressed that their platforms for strengthening the club represent the major issue in the campaign. In letters sent to HYRC members February 5, they advocated roughly the same measures: strengthening of the policy committee; active participation in the coming Congressional and Senatorial campaigns in Masachusetts this year; more social functions; and the publication of better newsletters.

Their major differences lie not so much in their proposals for the future, but in their views of the past. Williams deplored HYRC's "fantastic inactivity" and said, "Peter and his friends have controlled the executive board all year and could have already put this stuff into effect."

Wallison and recording secretary Richard A. Derham '62 denied the charge of inactivity and stressed

* the club's active participation in elections in this area.

* the planned trip to Washington in early March.

* the impressive line-up of speakers brought to Harvard by HYRC.

* the active functioning of the club's policy committee.

Both candidates have attempted to play down the issue of personal political ideology in the campaign. Williams said that he and Wallison "don't disagree much" in their political philosophies, even though "Wallison has Chapman behind him."

But Wallison's supporters see this considerable gap between is trying to make HYRC into a conservatives' organization, while Wallison realizes the club "should encompass all brands of Republicanism." Williams, furthermore, is generally regarded to be more extreme conservative than Wallison. At a Young Americans for Freedom meeting December 5 (both candidates are members of YAF), Williams cast the only negative vote on a resolution to express YAF's interest in securing civil rights legislation.

According to the YAF minutes of the meeting, "Mr. Williams, in explaining his negative vote, asked the committee to understand that 'I'm a damned bigot."

This week Williams decried his opponent's statement that he was a "self-confessed bigot." "Our bandwagon is rolling now," he said. "Since Monday they've gotten desperate and lowered the level of the campaign. These personal attacks usually are an indication of desperation. I want to keep the campaign on a high level.

John R. Williams '63 has accused his opponent, Peter J. Wallison '63 of being the candidate of a powerful cabal in the HYRC, dominated by president Tom A. Alberg '62, his predecessor Hugh W. Barber, Jr. '60, and Bruce K. Chapman '62, publisher of the liberal Republican magazine Advance.

"Ever since the club was formed in the late '40's small groups have passed down the reigns of leadership," Williams said. He claimed that the "ABC machine" had earmarked Richard B. Olson '63 and John Bayley '65--the brother of a former HYRC president--as the heirs apparent to the HYRC throne in the next two years.

Ridiculing the cries of "Machine," Wallison countered that all of Williams' accusations were based on assigning the label "machine" to what essentially amounted to a group of "interested persons." And, as one of Wallison's supporters added, "The people who to the most work tend to coalesce."

But this "coalescing," Williams asserted, has been so extreme that "the machine only gives appointments and work to their own people." He cited the appointment of the HYRC freshman Yard Council as typical of their use of patronage.

One freshman explained how he was chosen: "I signed up at registration and Dick Olsen came up to my room to see me. Then they threw a party in Pete Wallison's room one night. They had already set up various units and a list of prospective members to contact; later they just told me that I was on the Yard Council."

Olson himself conceded the arbitrariness of the decision, but defended it on the grounds that the membership drive had to be organized as rapidly as possible.

Currently operations director of the club, Wallison has emphasized his "three years of activity within the HYRC" in his campaign; he has sharply attacked Williams' inactivity in the club. "Since I broke with the machine," Williams bemoaned, "I have got no appointments from them. My supporters and I were even removed from the delegation to the Massachusetts Young Republican Council."

Wallison explained that his opponent had resigned from the council last year as a protest against HYRC's failure to elect Howard J. Phillips '62 to the delegation. "That's not true," Williams protested. "I tried to resign but no one would accept my resignation."

Attacks on the "machine" are not a new phenomenon in HYRC politicking. Last year Phillips blasted the "ABC machine" as "ruthless, vicious, and unethical."

Both Wallison and Williams stressed that their platforms for strengthening the club represent the major issue in the campaign. In letters sent to HYRC members February 5, they advocated roughly the same measures: strengthening of the policy committee; active participation in the coming Congressional and Senatorial campaigns in Masachusetts this year; more social functions; and the publication of better newsletters.

Their major differences lie not so much in their proposals for the future, but in their views of the past. Williams deplored HYRC's "fantastic inactivity" and said, "Peter and his friends have controlled the executive board all year and could have already put this stuff into effect."

Wallison and recording secretary Richard A. Derham '62 denied the charge of inactivity and stressed

* the club's active participation in elections in this area.

* the planned trip to Washington in early March.

* the impressive line-up of speakers brought to Harvard by HYRC.

* the active functioning of the club's policy committee.

Both candidates have attempted to play down the issue of personal political ideology in the campaign. Williams said that he and Wallison "don't disagree much" in their political philosophies, even though "Wallison has Chapman behind him."

But Wallison's supporters see this considerable gap between is trying to make HYRC into a conservatives' organization, while Wallison realizes the club "should encompass all brands of Republicanism." Williams, furthermore, is generally regarded to be more extreme conservative than Wallison. At a Young Americans for Freedom meeting December 5 (both candidates are members of YAF), Williams cast the only negative vote on a resolution to express YAF's interest in securing civil rights legislation.

According to the YAF minutes of the meeting, "Mr. Williams, in explaining his negative vote, asked the committee to understand that 'I'm a damned bigot."

This week Williams decried his opponent's statement that he was a "self-confessed bigot." "Our bandwagon is rolling now," he said. "Since Monday they've gotten desperate and lowered the level of the campaign. These personal attacks usually are an indication of desperation. I want to keep the campaign on a high level.

According to the YAF minutes of the meeting, "Mr. Williams, in explaining his negative vote, asked the committee to understand that 'I'm a damned bigot."

This week Williams decried his opponent's statement that he was a "self-confessed bigot." "Our bandwagon is rolling now," he said. "Since Monday they've gotten desperate and lowered the level of the campaign. These personal attacks usually are an indication of desperation. I want to keep the campaign on a high level.